What keeps us going?
Sermon on 2 Corinthians 4:1
As usual Chuck Noland is travelling – on a business trip at the other end of the world. Then it happens: His plane crashes in the middle of the ocean. He alone manages to reach a remote island. A bitter fight for survival begins, a new challenge every day. And the visitors to the film ”Cast Away” are in a state of excitement for two hours, wondering how Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks) is going to cope with this situation. That he will make out is clear from the start. After all, it is a Hollywood film! The question is, how will he get by? How will he deal with setbacks and attacks of desperation? Why doesn’t he give up? What gives him the strength to keep going?
As workers, who want to achieve results in our missionary work, we can’t avoid these questions: How do we deal with opposition and failure? What maintains my vision, my passion? What prevents my giving up? Because the blaze of enthusiasm, the desire to win people for Jesus, expires rapidly, much too rapidly. It dies down by workers who are fed up and now throw in the towel. It expires because we do not see any success and we give up frustrated. It has expired when my service has become a matter of duty and I do not expect God to work anymore. Because that is resignation: I don’t expect anything more of God. I don’t expect anything more for myself, or my church, or my youth group. I don’t believe anymore that God can use me or use us to change this world. Resignation means: I give up something that I once had – my trust, my vision, my passion.
The ”Signare” was an important procedure, carried out when the Roman army captured new territory. In order to make clear their claim to the land, they planted their standard, the signum, in the conquered ground. If, however, they were forced to retreat by Asterix, Obbelix or other Gauls, then the Romans had to pull their Signum out again. That’s how the Romans re-signed and gave up what had once belonged to them. As far as our relationship to God is concerned that means: I don’t expect anything more from Him.
There are many understandable reasons for this. Some lie within me. I am disappointed with myself. I come up against my limits. I fail, I react wrongly and don’t even fulfil that which I expect of myself. Additionally, workers who want to achieve results in their missionary work don’t often experience support in their churches, but rather they have to cope with resistance. Instead of esteem and recognition, they often experience distrust and disapproval. If one would at this point at least experience a small revival, but success doesn’t come that quickly: Week after week in the teen group – but no teenager comes to faith. A youth service every two months – but nobody registers for the Alpha Course. We invest so much imagination, creativity and energy on a regular basis, we sow so much of God’s love, without seeing any results! Then naturally we begin to ask questions such as: What is the point of all my hard work? Does anybody notice what I’m doing? Is all this effort really worthwhile? Shouldn’t I just forget it and enjoy life?
When I start to think this way, then I like to look up 2 Corinthians 4,1. There Paul gives his answer:
”Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry,
we do not lose heart”.
Tiredness here does not mean bodily exhaustion, e.g. after a strenuous day or a hard week. That’s why God has given us sleep and the Sabbath to regenerate. Christians are not slaves to work, not even missionary work. Their lives belong to God. In the novel ”Die wunderbare Weltreise des Jonathan Blum” an elderly Jew explains this to his future son-in-law as follows:
God gave us the Sabbath so that we can free ourselves from the tyrant within us. For it is part of the nature of mankind to constantly forge new chains of slavery for itself. Do we not often say: ”I’ve got so much to do. This or that job can’t wait. I haven’t got any time to rest”? However, he who understands and keeps the Sabbath holy, he is not a slave to the tyranny he himself has created.
Much tiredness in evangelistic service can indeed be remedied by a lovely free weekend or a longer holiday. In the same way as God dealt with Elijah: first sleeping, then eating well, and then sleeping again (1 Kings 19). Paul, however, refers here to discouragement, to resignation. Perhaps one should rather translate the text: as: ”We do not give up expecting great things from God. We do not resign.” Just like Chuck Noland on the remote island, he is not prepared to give up either.
But how do I keep this fervour? How do I get out of resignation and discouragement? What prevents me from falling into them? Three impulses from Paul and from Chuck Noland have helped me time and again to rekindle the fire.
1. I consider the love of God
A picture of his fiancée, Kelly hangs in Chuck Noland’s shelter on the island. He guards it as if it were a precious treasure. I’ve got a picture of my wife here as a symbol for it. Again and again Chuck Noland looks at this picture, because it tells him: ”Even if everything seems to be against you, I love you. I’m on your side – without any reservations. He hears her silent words: ”Chuck, you are loved.” Knowing that gives him the strength to hold out and later to dare the escape from the island.
”You are loved!” – this statement applies to every one of us too. Or as Paul puts it: ”through the mercy of God”. Paul reflects on God’s mercy, in order not to lose heart, even though he had every reason to do so. He who reads the letter to the Corinthians begins to sense with what sort of difficulties and frustrations he had to contend. Paul considers God’s undeserved mercy and unconditional love: ”Paul, you are loved, don’t forget that.”
I know this phrase. I’ve preached or spoken this truth often enough. But do I still experience the love of God in my life? Does my astonishment about the mercy of God shape my daily life? Although I am very busy for Jesus, I would many times honestly have to answer ”no”.
There is a similar example in Revelations 2:1-7, the epistle to the church in Ephesus. The first verses describe a model church: the Christians there are working with everything they’ve got for Jesus, both in word and deed, they stick to the truth, despite disadvantages and persecution they hold on to Jesus, they live sanctified lives and carry out church discipline. At first glance everything seems to be fine. No trace of resignation! But Jesus looks deeper and states: ”Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.” (verse 4) These words scared me for years. I sensed that I didn’t love Jesus as I had at the beginning of my faith. I wanted to love him in the same way, I really tried. But I didn’t manage it. On the contrary, all the pressure I put on myself just worsened my relationship. Until, in a workshop, I realised: maybe the first love doesn’t mean my love for Jesus first of all. Doesn’t the same John who wrote revelations write in a letter: ”We love because he first loved us”? (1 John 4:19). Couldn’t it be that the Ephesians in all their exertion for God have forgotten to let themselves be loved by God? Could it be, that I speak about the love of God and write about it, but in doing so forget that it is firstly for me? The result would be ill-considered and excessive activity. Superficially it appears totally different from resignation. But it has the same roots: I don’t expect anything more from God. Can it be, that I then no longer live in and from the love of Jesus? That I do not experience the love of Jesus anymore, that I do not expose myself to it? Then I can work as hard as I like, but to no effect. Then wherever I try to substitute my love and my efforts for God’s love, I tire out. My love, my passion, dies, if it not rekindled again and again by the love of God. Then that is the secret of the first love: I am willing to accept and then receive God’s gift. I hear quite personally as I did the first time: ”You are my beloved child.”
That’s why Chuck Noland looks at Kelly’s picture time and again. In order to not forget and to hear her voice with his inner ear: ”Even if everything seems to be against you, I love you.” Christians are reminded of God’s love by a different picture: the cross of Golgotha. There I discover God’s undeserved mercy to me, even if all my experience and feelings speak against it. There I learn once more to be amazed at his love, a love that is willing to invest everything in me. There my passion for him and the people of this world is rekindled, because there I see what I mean to him. That’s why I need times when I can gaze at this picture and listen to the stories which remind me: ”I am his beloved child.” No work for him should hinder me from doing this.
2. I remember my mission
For four years Chuck Noland lives like Robinson Crusoe on his island. But one day he is saved. In the States again this miracle is celebrated as it should be. But it is the scene at the end of the film that is really revealing. Chuck drives with a Jeep to a lonely house far away from civilisation. Because nobody is at home, he lays a faded packet in front of the door. He writes a note and leaves it next to it: ”Thank you very much for sending this packet. It saved my life.” At this moment I remembered how he had opened all the packets that were washed up on the island, in order to find anything that would help him to survive. He had only saved this one packet. It became a symbol of salvation (show packet), as if he had told himself time and again: ”One day I’m going to deliver this packet. It’s my job to make sure that packets make it to the addressee. I’m going to do whatever it takes to deliver this packet.” Having such a goal can give us immense strength. He who is focused on an important goal is willing to put up with rough roads. I’ve only coped with some hikes in the mountains because I absolutely wanted to reach the summit.
Paul too had a goal. He had a mission to accomplish: ”since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart!” When he is in danger of giving up, he remembers his mission. Christ himself had appointed him to pass on the Gospel. A commission is not our decision and not a matter of our convenience. Just imagine your postman would himself decide which letters he will deliver to you and which he would rather throw away! It’s his job to deliver the post – even if it is raining, he doesn’t feel like it or he doesn’t see any sense in it. In the same way God has entrusted us with his Gospel, which has to delivered to all. As a travelling preacher it is sometimes difficult for me to set off on a trip. I have a wonderful wife, a nice flat and a full fridge. Why on earth should I drive to a church that is unknown to me, where I don’t know what will happen? Only one thing helps then: I remember my mission. It is my job. God has commissioned me. Despite all my laziness and reluctance: I will not give up.
Thereby evangelism is one of the most wonderful jobs in the world, something that I sadly quickly forget. A few verses prior to this Paul considers it’s value and comes to the amazing conclusion that: This service is greater than that of Moses! (2. Corinthians 3:5-11) An incredible statement! Moses on God’s order divided the Red Sea, he lead Israel through the wilderness, won battles and communicated God’s commandments. But the service of Evangelism is greater, because it speaks of the mercy of God and invites people into a loving relationship with him. God believes us to be capable. The fact that God holds us in such high regard makes us happy and motivates us. What was it like fifteen years ago when God gave me the commission: ”You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you.” This verse found in Jeremiah 1:7 hit me in my heart. I jumped for joy.: ” God has called me to preach!” In between I could hardly believe in that which I have now long got used to. However, I don’t want to lose my sense of amazement at this: God uses people in order to change the world with his love. I am one of them. That’s why I don’t give up.
3. I seek fellowship
Chuck Noland sits totally alone on his island. His friends are a picture, a packet and a volley ball. The volley ball however is a decisive factor in his being rescued. Chuck paints a face on it’s surface using his own blood and calls him ”Wilson”. Wilson becomes his best friend. Chuck talks about everything with him. He tells Wilson about his plans and stops suppressing his feelings. He speaks to openly him about his small joys and successes as well as his fear, frustration and despair. Wilson just simply listens. That helps.
Paul also was not underway alone. He writes: ”We have this service. We have received mercy. We will not tire.” Paul was not a lone fighter, he lived and worked in a team. How many times did Silas comfort him after a sermon, when in Corinth hardly anybody committed their lives to Jesus? How often did Paul sit in the corner chair at Priscilla and Aquilla’s home and pour out his frustration? How often did they pray together that God would open a door in Corinth?
I need people by my side, who help me to come to God with empty hands. With whom I can talk openly about frustrations and hurts. With whom I don’t have to watch out what I say, but rather by whom I can show that I’m upset or let myself go. People who don’t just hit me with a bible verse, but first listen to me. By whom I can be myself and not primarily the pastor. I’m glad to have such friends, who pray with me and for me when I once more get scared before a meeting or a sermon. They catch me when I fall. They help me to look upwards again and not to give up. They are real friends, because I don’t just offer them my help, but rather can ask for their help, even if it is sometimes embarrassing. Such fellowship is an enormous source of strength and a fortress defending us against all resignation. I don’t have to see my work through alone. It’s so good that there are so many Wilsons! Of course I will experience disappointments. Of course, I have to go out and search for such people and invest in relationships. However, it is worth it!
A the same time I seek contact to people who’s presence motivate and inspire me. A passion for Jesus and evangelism is contagious and I can’t help being infected. He who expects great things of God inspires others.
Chuck Noland and Paul didn’t give up. Their insights aren’t necessarily brand-new, but they encourage me to:
- to consider God’s love again and again,
- not to forget my mission
- and to look for fellowship with other Christians. Or to put it all in one sentence:
”Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart”.
2 Corinthians 4:1
